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Dear A.,


Israel
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announced today that autopsy evidence revealed that "Ariel and Kfir Bibas were murdered by terrorists in cold blood. The terrorists did not shoot the two young boys—they killed them with their bare hands. Afterwards, they committed horrific acts to cover up these atrocities."


Democrats and Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration again reiterated their disgust and outrage at Hamas, with renewed calls for the terror group to be destroyed.


The news about Ariel and Kfir came hours after it was
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revealed that the body transferred to Israel yesterday alongside them was not their mother Shiri — a serious violation of the hostage agreement. The body is of an unknown individual who Israel said did not match with any known hostage.


This evening, the Red Cross reportedly received another body from Hamas, which the terror group once again claims to be Shiri, although that remains to be confirmed by Israeli forensic analysis.


National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, in an interview after the news of Hamas' deception came out, said:


"We now know that Hamas executed them. These are twin children. These are babies. These are -- this was their mother. This is a sick terrorist organization, no different than ISIS, and we cannot have Gaza ruled by a terrorist organization. Hamas has to be destroyed.


We'll continue to enter into some type of negotiation to get as many hostages out. But the end of the day, Gaza will be ruled by Hamas no more, who has repeatedly said their full intent is to have more October 7th, more attacks. They fully intend to continue to attack Israel, if allowed to remain in place, and we stand with Israel in making sure that doesn't happen."

U.S. Hostage Affairs Envoy Adam Boehlor
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added , "If I were them [Hamas], I would release everybody right now or it’s going to be total annihilation."


Meanwhile,
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in attendance at Hamas' grotesque ceremony to transfer the bodies last night was recently released terrorist Mohammad Abu Warda, who murdered three Americans in a bus bombing in 1996.


Despite Hamas' serious violation of the agreement yesterday, Israel is still abiding by its terms, and Hamas is supposed to release six living hostages tomorrow.


The
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six hostages are 39-year-old Tal Shoham, 22-year-old Omer Shem-Tov, 23-year-old Omer Wenkert, 27-year-old Eliya Cohen, 37-year-old Avera Mengistu and 37-year-old Hisham al-Sayed. Mengistu and al-Sayed have been held hostage in Gaza since 2014 and 2015, respectively, while the other four were kidnapped on October 7.

70 hostages, including 5 Americans, are still held in captivity by Hamas in Gaza.


The United States must increase the pressure on Hamas and its sponsors in Iran, Qatar and Turkey to release the hostages.


Continue to follow AIPAC on
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social media for the latest updates.



Shabbat Shalom,

Jake Braunstein

Director of Policy Communications

Israel launching major response after averted bus bombing attack

After a terror attack against Israel was narrowly averted last night, Prime Minister Netanyahu
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visited Tulkarm, where the attack likely originated, and announced from there that Israel will be ramping up its counterterror operations in the West Bank.


"We are entering the strongholds of terrorism... We are taking extremely important measures, against Hamas and other terrorist entities who are attempting to harm us. This desire has not yet ceased. What we have witnessed yesterday - an attempt to perpetrate a series of terrorist attacks with mass casualties - is a very severe situation," Netanyahu said.


Three bombs exploded on Israeli buses, while two additional devices were located and disarmed.

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According to Israeli media, the Israeli security establishment believes the plan for the attack came from Iran, and was carried out by Hamas terrorists from the West Bank.


A social media channel affiliated with Hamas
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took credit for the attempted attack, posting: "The revenge of the martyrs will not be forgotten so long as the occupier is present on our land… This is a jihad of either victory or martyrdom."

The United States must ensure Israel has the resources needed to keep its people safe and continue to support Israel's counterterror efforts in the West Bank.

Iran threatens Israel with another missile attack


A high-ranking general in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
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said that Iran plans to carry out a third missile attack on Israel.


The attack "will be carried out at the right time, with precision, and on a scale sufficient to destroy Israel and raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground," the general said.


Iran carried out unprecedented attacks on Israel in April and October 2024, launching hundreds of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones at Israel.


Thanks to American military cooperation and U.S.-backed missile defense programs, the vast majority of these weapons were intercepted.


In response to the Iranian general's latest threat, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar
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said : "If the Jewish people have learned anything from history, it is this: if your enemy says his goal is to annihilate you - believe him. We are ready."

The United States must continue to ensure Israel has the resources needed to keep its people safe and increase the pressure on the Iranian regime.

Bipartisan House bill introduced to increase pressure on Iran


Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), the chair and ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Middle East and North Africa subcommittee,
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introduced bipartisan legislation this week to help increase the economic pressure on the Iranian regime.


The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act (H.R. 1422/S. 556) imposes sanctions on those involved in the export, sale or processing of Iranian petrochemical products, including banks and financial institutions, insurance providers, ship-flagging registries, pipeline builders or operators of processing facilities.


"The new sanctions imposed in the Iran Enhanced Sanctions Act will give us a broader ability to quash Iran’s illicit oil trade for good," Lawler said.


"This bipartisan legislation will tighten sanctions on Iranian oil — a crucial source of revenue for the regime — enhancing the security of the United States and our regional allies, including Israel," Cherfilus-McCormick added.

AIPAC thanks these bipartisan leaders for introducing this important legislation and will work with leaders in Congress to pass it into law.

Bernie Sanders introduces dangerous anti-Israel resolutions


Yesterday, anti-Israel Senator Bernie Sanders introduced four joint resolutions of disapproval to block vital arms sales to Israel.


Sanders introduced similar resolutions last year, which were defeated on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis.


This latest effort is another attempt to undermine the safety and security of the Jewish state and weaken the U.S.-Israel alliance while Israelis and Americans are still held hostage in Gaza and Israel is facing threats on seven fronts from Iran and its terrorist proxies.

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TAKE 45 SECONDS: Contact your senators now and urge them to oppose these dangerous resolutions.

Dermer in U.S. for meeting with Witkoff


Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer
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met with White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in Washington yesterday.


They discussed the hostage release and ceasefire deal with Hamas, and the potential for advancing to the second phase of the agreement.


Serious challenges remain, and negotiations are ongoing.

The United States must continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our ally Israel and increase the pressure on Hamas and its sponsors in Iran, Qatar and Turkey to release the hostages.

Hezbollah to hold a funeral for Nasrallah


Iranian-backed Hezbollah plans to bury its former leader Hassan Nasrallah
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on Sunday in a ceremony in Beirut.


Nasrallah, an arch-terrorist responsible for murdering thousands of Israelis and Americans, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in September.


According to reports, Iran's foreign minister will be in attendance, along with an Iraqi delegation of politicians and militia commanders. Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists are also sending a delegation.


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Oded Lifshitz was a journalist and peace activist. He dedicated his life to helping others. On October 7, Hamas ripped him from his home. This week, after 503 days, he returned back to Israel in a coffin.

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Hamas kidnapped Shiri Bibas. Executed Shiri in captivity. Then sent back to Israel a random, unidentified corpse labeled as Shiri.



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This is the unfathomable evil Israel is fighting.

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As Hamas paraded dead hostages around Gaza before returning the bodies to Israel, large crowds — including young children — celebrated.



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Support our work to keep Israel safe.



The mission of AIPAC is to encourage and persuade the U.S. government to enact specific policies that create a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship with our ally Israel.


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